The Aardvark: The Fresh-Maker

A new look for the Aardvark is on the way. The longtime rock-scene staple is undergoing a facelift that owner Danny Weaver expects to be complete by the end of summer.

Among a handful of planned upgrades, including insulation to increase the quality of the acoustics, the West Berry Street’s existing, monolithic façade will have operational garage doors that will allow for indoor-outdoor and patio seating. Also, the kitchen will be fully operational, and Weaver plans on hosting a Sunday brunch that will feature live performances of old-timey C&W standards. The remodeling, he said, is “something I’ve been thinking about forever.” With nearby TCU’s beautification program in full swing, Weaver anticipates the part of West Berry where his and several other independent establishments sit, including The Cellar, The Moon, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, will become 100-percent pedestrian-friendly.

The days of taking your life in your hands and crossing four lanes of buzzing vehicular traffic to get to the other side of Berry are long gone. Weaver is simply capitalizing on the positive change. He also wants to put his club to work for him. “Any time there are basketball playoffs or a Dallas sports team is doing well, bars like us lose money. This way, people can come here and watch the game”- and on the weekends, watch the game first, then hang around for a show. “Music is still the focus,” he said. The heavy-lifting part of the remodeling will take place on days that the Aardvark is normally closed (Sun-Tue) and will not affect regular business.

Initially, Weaver also expects to double the size of his staff to nearly 10. … On Sunday, a Rachella Parks Appreciation Concert is happening at Sardines Italiano Ristorante (509 University Dr., 817-332-9937), and will feature performances by some of North Texas’ most masterful jazz musicians, including Marchel Ivery, Daymond Callahan, Chris White, Joey Carter, Duane Durrett, and host Jhon Kahsen. There won’t be any cover charge, but donations will go toward research that benefits victims of sarcoidosis, an immune-system disorder with which long-time local jazzbo Parks is afflicted. … Now that the party’s over, it’s time to party.

Last weekend’s Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards showcase was a lot of fun and, other than a few minor kinks, a success. On behalf of the paper, I’d like to thank every one of the coupla thousand people who spent their beautiful Sunday afternoon with us and 30 awesome local bands. Last Sunday also marked the last day of voting. As all of us Weekly employees (a.k.a. intern Elena) furiously count ballots, we’re also planning the awards presentation ceremony, a private event for nominees, their significant others, and local industry folk that will be held early next month. Sidebar: In honor of the city of Fort Worth’s unofficial mascot, the panther, we’re naming our awards – tiny, pewter panther heads mounted on tiny, pewter pedestals – the Panthies.

We’ll announce the winners to the public a couple of days later in our July 11 issue. At the ceremony, we will also honor this year’s inductees, all posthumous, into the Fort Worth Music Hall of Fame: Robert Ealey, Tom “Wolf” Morrell, Dewey Redman, and Q.T. Tubb. Stay tuned, and thanks again.